The state with United States' last operating horse slaughterhouse made it illegal to kill the animals for human consumption.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich said he was proud to sign the law Thursday, calling it "past time to stop slaughtering horses in Illinois."

A slaughterhouse in DeKalb has been shipping horse meat overseas, where it is sold for people to eat. American horse meat is sold mostly in France, Belgium and Japan, where it is considered a delicacy.

The practice has outraged people who feel horses are more like pets than livestock.